Children's home run by Willow Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 1 Registered provider: Willow Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by an independent organisation and was registered in June 2022. It can accommodate up to three children who may have social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in June 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected. Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s attendance and commitment to education is good. When children move to this home, they continue at their existing school whenever possible. This means children benefit from consistency in education, helping them to settle quickly in the home and make educational progress. When children receive education at the home, staff work hard to motivate them to learn. When children have practical skills, managers ensure that they have opportunities to develop these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are confident which enables them to quickly build trusted and secure relationships with children. Staff are flexible in adapting to children’s individual needs. Children at this home all have their own individual likes and dislikes. Staff work hard to accommodate these, whilst understanding the nature of a group living environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children come to live at this home, they receive a welcome booklet. This shows pictures and names of all staff, to enable children to recognise staff members. Children say this made them feel confident, as they had seen a picture of their key workers prior to meeting them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children have additional healthcare needs, including epilepsy, care is taken so that staff are aware of any risks. Staff have received some specific training. However, this could be further developed to ensure staff are confident in their approach to specific healthcare needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children’s placements end in an unplanned way, managers and staff ensure that the well-being of children remains a paramount concern. For example, staff have supported children in a hospital setting for a significant period, prior to a suitable alternative placement being identified. Staff have also ensured that children have moved on with some positive memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not always receive consistent and clear responses from staff. For children who have an autistic spectrum disorder, this may lead to them feeling unsettled and anxious.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a house which is situated in a quiet residential area. Recent developments to the property mean that children enjoy a high-quality environment. All areas of the home are welcoming, warm and inviting. Bedrooms are small, but children can personalise these. Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 4

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding children requires improvement. However, this has not impacted on children’s overall development. Leaders and managers have taken action to improve the safeguarding practices in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not followed procedures for responding to concerns about the safety of children. Children have been away from this home at night without staff being aware. This means that children have been put at risk, at night, within their local community. However, the manager has taken action to reduce further occurrences. These actions include improved outside security, and improved bedroom door alarm systems. Also, staff have made some false statements in records. Managers have undertaken formal discussions with staff about shortfalls in their practice.

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improvement to be good

Managers have not ensured that appropriate action is taken when there is a safeguarding concern. When allegations are made by children, they are not shared with the appropriate safeguarding agencies in a timely manner.

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improvement to be good

Placing authorities say they are positive about the care provided to children. They say the home has clear oversight of risk, and that communication is effective. Managers ensure that staff have access to risk assessments that detail how staff should reduce or minimise areas of potential harm. However, areas of risk are not always detailed sufficiently. This means that staff may not always be confident about what action to take to reduce risks to children.

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improvement to be good

Children know how to make a complaint. Leaders ensure there are opportunities available for children to write down concerns and worries. Children also have opportunities to share their views at weekly meetings. There have been no complaints from children, neighbours or stakeholders.

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improvement to be good

All staff working at this home go through a robust safer recruitment process. Leaders and managers ensure that only adults who are safe can work with vulnerable children in their care. Regular monitoring through formal supervision enhances these safeguards.

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improvement to be good

Children are generally in good health and, when required, they are helped to manage lifelong conditions. When children require medication, arrangements for administration and recording are safe and effective. Specialist health advice and training is sought if required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home and manager were registered in June 2022. The manager brings significant experience in residential childcare and management. They have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. They lead a team of staff that brings a wide variety of experiences, age, gender and cultural backgrounds. Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 5 These staff role models have already begun to make a positive impact on the care of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with stakeholders is usually effective. Placing authorities say that there is good communication with the home. Families reported that they had observed positive changes with regard to their children, which they credited to the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that children have a planned introduction to this home. For the current children, they have benefited from visits and overnight stays before being accommodated. Managers attempt to receive up-to-date information about new children. When information is not received, or there is a delay, managers usually challenge and escalate concerns to the placing authority. However, on one occasion, the manager has not actively challenged the placing authority when children’s information is not detailed enough.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are motivated and passionate about their work. The manager has high expectations of the children and staff team, to improve outcomes for children. Staff report that they are well supported by the manager. Staff say the manager is readily available to help them when they require support. The staff and manager work well as a team. The professional supervision of staff takes place on a regular basis. Staff are encouraged to develop into more senior roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with regular mandatory training. They say the induction was valuable. They also receive bespoke training based on the specific care needs of the children. More recently, staff have undertaken training on epilepsy, mental health first aid, autistic spectrum disorder, and ADHD awareness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One requirement and two recommendations have been made in response to identified shortfalls. Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff and managers not sharing safeguarding concerns quickly enough with stakeholders.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to staff not being aware that children had left the home and making inaccurate records of events.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to managers not ensuring that all staff have training to meet new children’s care needs. 11 November

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and well- being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children’s home an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the Statement of Purpose. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that expectations of standards of behaviour should be high for all staff and children in the home. These standards should be clear and unambiguous. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 39, paragraph 8.11)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 7 was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Willow Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Willow Care Group Limited, Vicarage Corner House, 219 Burton Road, Derby DE23 6AE

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Inspectors

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2678404 9 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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